Search Continues for Girl's Killer

Police are still searching for a kidnapper this morning, a day after they found a 10-year-old southern Indiana girl dead. Indiana State Police Sergeant Jerry Goodin says they’re sure the man in a pick-up truck who abducted Katlyn Collman Tuesday was a stranger. Hear Sgt. Goodin explain why they believe the abductor was a stranger and how they intende to pursue the case until they catch him. A state trooper found the girl’s body in a stream yesterday morning. It was about 20 miles north of Katyln’s hometown of Crothersville. An autopsy is planned for today to determine the cause of death.

Dentists to Provide Free Care to Children

Underprivileged children in the Q101 area can get free dental care this Friday, as part of the American Dental Association’s “Give Kids a Smile Day.” Columbia City dentist Doctor James Lawrence says he really enjoys participating. Hear Dr. Lawrence talk about why he enjoyes "Give Kids a Smile Day." To get the free dental care, parents must first contact the county health nurse in the county where they live, or the school nurse at the school their children attend. There should still be a few openings left today.

WCS Releases Project Review Process

Warsaw Community Schools have released information on how the system reviews expenses for building projects. The information results from questions that came up at a school board meeting a couple weeks ago. The information is on the school system’s web site.

Grant Application Deadline Nears

Tomorrow is the application deadline for the next round of grants from the K-21 Foundation. The Foundation funds nonprofit programs that deal with the health and wellness of Kosciusko County residents. You can find more information on the foundation’s web site.

Missing Southern Indiana Girl Found Dead

State Police say a trooper on routine patrol found the body of a missing 10-year-old girl in a stream today. A State Police sergeant announced at a news conference that the trooper found the body of Katlyn "Katie" Collman in a wooded area. It was about a quarter of a mile off Interstate 65 about five miles north of Seymour. Sgt. Jerry Goodin did not say how Katlyn died or how long her body had been in the stream. Police continue to search for the man who abducted her last Tuesday.

Southern Indiana Girl Still Missing

A 10-year-old southern Indiana girl remained missing today. Police say she was last seen three days ago riding in a pickup truck with a man believed to be a stranger to her. Police issued an Amber alert yesterday for Katlyn Collman, who disappeared Tuesday in Crothersville, about 40 miles north of Louisville, Ky. The girl's family last saw her at about 4 p.m. Tuesday as she walked to a store about three blocks from her home.

United Way Surpasses Goal

The United Way of Kosciusko County has raised $16,162 more than the goal of its 2004 campaign. Campaign Chairman David Findlay of Lake City Bank attributes the success to several factors. Hear Findlay talk about the giving and caring nature of the Kosciusko County community. Findlay also praised the United Way staff for the work it did to promote the campaign. It raised a total of $1,541,162 dollars for 28 local, nonprofit programs.

Bayh Proposes Federal Cold Remedy Limitations

Indiana Senator Evan Bayh has co-sponsored federal legislation that would limit the sale of a cold remedy used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. The bill would require you to get medicines like Sudafed brand from a pharmacist. It would also limit how much you could buy. As Q101 reported earlier this week, the state legislature is considering a similar bill.

Flu Shot Restrictions Lifted

Starting today, you can get a flu shot, no matter who you are. Health officials have lifted their restrictions on who can get the vaccine. Demand for flu shots has dropped so low that this year’s shortage is no longer a problem.

Chamber Honors Man, Woman of the Year

The Warsaw-Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce has presented its annual Man of the Year award to Ken Locke of the Salvation Army. The Woman of the Year award went to Louise Lowe, founder of Kosciusko County Right to Life.

Police Issue Amber Alert for Downstate Abduction

Police in the southern Indiana town of Crothersville have issued an Amber Alert after 10-year-old Katlyn Collman disappeared Tuesday. Katlyn is 4'6" tall and weighs 120 lbs. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was wearing a red short sleeve shirt, black stretch pants with white stripes and a medium light blue winter jacket. Police believe she is in extreme danger. Police believe Katlyn was abducted by a tall white male who is 5'8" to 6'0" tall, very skinny and 18 to 20 years old. The suspect is believed to have short dark hair and a fair complexion. Police believe he was driving a white Ford late 80s or early 90s F-150 pickup truck. If you have information that can help police find Katlyn, call 1-888-58AMBER.

Rules Force Loss of Fort Wayne TV on Warsaw Cable

Starting today, Cable T-V customers in Warsaw can no longer watch three Fort Wayne stations. Hear Comcast Public Affairs Director Deb Piscola explain how the change was necessary in order to comply with federal regulations. Piscola says federal regulations require Comcast to give exclusive display to the CBS, NBC and PBS stations in South Bend, because Kosciusko County is in the South Bend designated market area (DMA). Piscola says Fort Wayne ABC affiliate WPTA will remain on the Warsaw cable system, because South Bend’s ABC affiliate is a low-power station. It therefore doesn’t get the same rights. The general manager of Fort Wayne’s CBS affiliate says he has looked into an exception to the federal rules. Hear WANE TV General Manager Alan Riebe talk about how he has heard from Warsaw viewers and how he hates to lose that audience. Riebe says that if WANE TV could prove that a significant number of Warsaw households watch his station; federal regulations would allow Comcast to carry it. But Riebe says the latest ratings figures show that WANE TV doesn’t have enough viewers for that exception to apply. If Kosciusko County could move to from the South Bend DMA to the Fort Wayne DMA, Comcast would have to show the Fort Wayne stations. TV ratings company Nielsen Media Research decides what DMA every county is in. Hear Nielsen spokesman Matt Tatham explain how Nielsen uses only viewship figures to determine to what DMA a county belongs. Tatham says Nielsen does not consider public input or information like where residents do their out-of-town shopping. Kosciusko County residents have voted with their TV tuners to stay in the South Bend DMA. Warsaw Comcast cable customers who are upset that they can’t watch Fort Wayne’s CBS, NBC and PBS stations any more might be thinking about switching to a satellite service, like Dish Network or Direct TV. Hear Direct TV spokesman Robert Mercer explain how his company is bound by the same federal regulations as are cable TV companies. Mercer says that means if a customer’s dish is in Kosciusko County, the company can only send local stations from South Bend to that dish. Warsaw Comcast cable TV customers who are unhappy about channel changes or other issues can’t get much help from city government. Mayor Ernie Wiggins says the city has a contract with Comcast that allows the cable company to put its equipment in public rights of way. But there are only a few reasons the city can rescind that agreement. Hear Wiggins list the types of issues that could lead to recision of the city's contract with Comcast. Mayor Wiggins says programming, service and billing issues don’t give the city the right to terminate Comcast’s franchise. The city can only relay such complaints to its contact at Comcast. Some Comcast customers have complained to the city about today’s removal of some Fort Wayne stations and about other issues.

GM Commits to Fort Wayne Plant Expansion

Secretary of Commerce Pat Miller announced today that General Motors has committed $175 million to expand its Fort Wayne assembly plant. The expansion will bring approximately 200 new jobs to Allen County. The expansion will help prepare the plant to manufacture GM's next-generation Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra pickup trucks.

Funds Requested to Keep Local Employers

Imagine what could happen if some of Kosciusko County’s best employers got enticed to leave the area. Hear Kosciusko Development, Incorporated Executive Director Joy McCarthy-Sessing talk about how other communities are trying to lure away Kosciusko County's most lucrative employers. McCarthy-Sessing says other areas are spending a lot more on economic development than Kosciusko County is. Yesterday, K-D-I asked Kosciusko County commissioners for 100-thousand bucks a year for the next four years so the organization can improve its economic development efforts. Commissioners took the request under advisement.

Bill Would Restrict Cold Remedy Purchases

State Senator Tom Weatherwax has filed legislation that would restrict the sale of a common over-the-counter cold remedy. The medicine is known by the brand name Sudafed and it’s used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine. Weatherwax's bill would require you to get the cold remedy from the pharmacist, present photo identification and sign a record book. Also, you'd only be able to buy up to 12 capsules at a time. require you to sign Weatherwax represents parts of Kosciusko and Wabash Counties.

WCHS Reschedules SAT

Warsaw Community High School has rescheduled the S-A-T test that got postponed by last Saturday's winter storm. The new date for the test is a week from this Saturday, February fifth.

Roush Lake Full, Release Increased

Flood waters have pushed Roush Lake near Huntington to its capacity. So the Army Corps of Engineers says it has begun increasing the flow of the water from behind the dam. It’s doing the same thing at the other two reservoirs in northeastern Indiana. The Corps says were it not for the reservoirs, flood waters in Wabash would have been more than 10 feet higher than they were.

Help for Small Businesses

An expert in small business is ready to help people in Kosciusko County. Anyone who owns a small business in the county and anyone who is thinking about starting one can get a personal appointment in Warsaw with the Associate Director of the South Bend Small Business Development Center. To schedule a meeting on February eighth, call the Warsaw-Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce at (574) 267-6311.

Indiana Tech Opens New Warsaw Facility

Indiana Tech is opening a new facility in Warsaw. The college invites you to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house at one o’clock this afternoon. The address is 2180 North Pointe Drive.

Heavy Snow, Big Drifts on the Way

A major winter storm is about to bring a lot of snow and wind to the Q101 area. Michael Skipper of the National Weather Service says the snow will start around midnight and things will get really bad tomorrow, when winds increase to 30 miles an hour or more. Hear Skipper talk about how the wind could create drifts as deep at 10 feet. Skipper says the wind will also create white-out conditions in some areas tomorrow. By the time the storm ends sometime tomorrow night, we could receive eight to 10 inches of snowfall. The New Q101 will keep you up to date on the storm throughout the weekend. And you can always get the latest weather and road information here on TheNewQ101.com.

Indiana Marriage Law Upheld

The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld Indiana's law declaring marriage to be between one man and one woman, denying a challenge that the law is unconstitutional. The court ruled that "the Indiana Constitution does not require the governmental recognition of same-sex marriage, although the legislature is certainly free to grant such recognition or create a parallel institution under that document." The lawsuit challenging the law was filed by the Indiana Civil Liberties Union on behalf of three same-sex couples who obtained civil union status in Vermont.

Schools Get New Phone Numbers

Warsaw Community Schools have announced that old phone numbers for several facilities no long work, even though those numbers still appear in current issues of phone directories. Patrons must now use the new numbers, which are as follows:

• Warsaw Community High School: 371-5099
• Alternative Learning Center: 371-5019
• Edgewood Middle School: 371-5096
• Central Administrative Office: 371-5098
• Washington Elementary School: 371-5097

Etna Green Residents Charged with Dealing Meth

The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force announced today that it arrested two suspects yesterday on charges of dealing methamphetamine. Police say they believe the two have been large scale dealers of meth in Kosciusko County and the Nappanee areas. The 36-year-old man and 34-year-old woman live in an Etna Green trailer court.

Multiple Departments Respond for Business Intruder

A mysterious 9-1-1 call to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department this morning led to an investigation that involved officers from four departments, including the county’s Emergency Response Team. The original call came in at 3:14 a.m. from a farm equipment business on Washington Road near State Road 114. When dispatchers answered, the line was silent, so they sent a couple officers to investigate. They arrived to find a barefoot man yelling and throwing things. When the suspect disappeared in a pole barn, the officers requested back from the emergency team, as well as the Columbia City Police Department, Huntington County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police. By about 5:45 a.m., police had safely taken the man into custody. They took him to a hospital for evaluation.

Governor Proposes Temporary Tax Increase

Governor Daniels proposed a tax increase during his State of the State speech last night… Hear Governor Daniels talk about his proposal for a one-year, one-percent income tax increase for Hoosiers who make more than $100,000 per year. Daniels says that extra income would allow the state to balance its budget within a year. Daniels says he’ll veto any bill that would raise general taxes on Hoosiers and he’ll veto any bill that would extend the temporary increase he proposed last night. Daniels also says state government must drastically reduce spending. He promised to eliminate any program that has outlived its usefulness. Daniels also says the cost of Medicaid is growing at 10 percent per year, so that program must see some immediate changes in eligibility, benefits and payments to providers. Daniels announced a 120-day moratorium on bond issues for new school building projects. Daniels says the state will develop new guidelines regarding building size, cost and the ratio of academic to non-academic construction, with the goal of putting instruction before construction. Read the complete text of Daniels' State of the State Address.

Foundry Worker's Injuries Minor

The Warsaw Foundry had some tense moments yesterday, after a small explosion led emergency workers to call Samaritan Helicopter to the plant. Foundry President John Petro says the explosion happened when a worker loaded solid metal into a furnace that melts the metal for casting. Petro says the accident affected the worker’s level of consciousness, so medics had the chopper fly him to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. But the foundry president says the man’s injuries turned out to be minor and the hospital’s emergency room released the worker a few hours later. Petro says no one else was hurt and the explosion did not damage the plant or any equipment.

Foundry Explosion Injures One

A small explosion at the Warsaw Foundry, 1212 N. Detroit Street, injured at least one person today. Dispatchers say the call came in at 11:47 a.m. We'll have more information on this story during our Wednesday morning newscasts, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Q101 (101.1 FM).

Silver Lake Man Charged with Dealing Cocaine

Police have arrested a 26-year-old Silver Lake man on a charge of dealing cocaine. The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force says its undercover officers bought a quarter-ounce of cocaine from the man yesterday, in the parking lot of a Warsaw business. They arrested the suspect immediately.

Teen Girls Injured in Crash

A 17-year-old Pierceton girl is in the hospital this morning after the car she was driving crashed into a tree. The collision also injured a 17-year-old Ligonier girl who was passenger in the car. State Police say the Pierceton girl was driving north on State Road Five in extreme southwestern Noble County at about 11 o’clock last night. Police say after the girl drove through a curve, she lost control of the car and over corrected. The car left the road and hit the tree. At least one of the girls was pinned in the wreckage for a while. The Pierceton girl is in good condition this morning at Parkview Whitley Hospital. But the Ligonier girl had to be flown to Parkview in Fort Wayne, where she’s in fair condition this morning.

Flooding Continues, North Manchester People Evacuate

Flooding continues to be a problem in the Q101 area this morning. In North Manchester, the rising Eel River led officials to recommend a voluntary evacuation of the East Side Trailer Court. As of 2 a.m., the Eel River at North Manchester was 3.7 feet above flood stage. No other places in the Q101 area reported evacuations as of this morning, but many roads in Kosciusko, Whitley and Huntington Counties have high water. In Kosciusko County, at least six roads are closed. In Huntington County, 17 roads are blocked by high water. Volunteers filled sandbags in Huntington yesterday for home owners to pick up. But dispatchers say as of early this morning, no one had come for any sandbags. They’re available across the street from the Huntington County Jail and in Huntington’s Hires Park. The Little River at Huntington was at 17.4 feet at 4 a.m. that’s 2.4 feet above flood stage. In Wabash, the Wabash River was three feet above flood stage at 2 a.m. It appears to be on its way down. The situation is still pretty bad in Fort Wayne, where workers are building earthen and sandbag dikes to protect homes from flooding. If you’ve got some extra time today, Fort Wayne needs volunteers to help fill and place sandbags. Call 260-449-HELP (260-449-4357) for more information.

KREMC Offers Trip to DC

Kosciusko REMC is inviting high school juniors to apply for the 2005 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. The tour to Washington, D.C. offers youth the opportunity to visit the nation’s capital, meet their peers from across the country, and learn about the federal government and the cooperative utility industry. To be eligible for consideration, students must be the dependent of a Kosciusko REMC member and submit a completed application and short essay to Kosciusko REMC by February 11. Students may pick up applications from their high school guidance counselor or at the Kosciusko REMC.

High Water Closes Roads

Depending on where you’re going, you might have to find a new way to get there today. High water has either closed roads or at least impeded travel throughout the Q101 area. Kosciusko County officials have closed at least two roads, including County Road 200 South between 900 West and State Road 19 and County Road 600 East between 200 North and 300 North. As of early this morning, dispatchers in Whitley and Wabash Counties say no roads are closed, but many have signs warning of high water.

Fog Causes Pile-up on Toll Road

A pile-up on the Indiana Toll Road yesterday involved as many as 30 vehicles and killed one person. The crash closed down a 40 mile stretch of the Toll Road for more than five hours.

Cut in Medicaid Reimbursement Possible

Doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and others who take care of Medicaid patients could see a two-percent cut in their reimbursements this year. The new secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration says the cuts might be necessary to cover a 17-million dollar deficit in the Medicaid program.

Ruppel's Missing Elderly Bill Passes Committee

Police will be able to begin immediate searches for missing elderly people, if a bill approved by a state House committee becomes law. Currently, an adult must be missing for 24 hours before police can take a missing persons report and begin a search. Republican Representative Bill Ruppel of North Manchester sponsored a bill to change that.

Weather Delay Could Change WCSC Schedule

The Warsaw Community Schools Corp. has announced that if there is a delay due to weather conditions on Thursday, January 13, 2005, the system will eliminate a scheduled early release for professional development... and release students at the regular time.

KREMC Customers Lose Power

Approximately 1,100 Kosciusko REMC customers lost power at about 4:50 this morning. KREMC issued a news release which indicates the utiltiy believes lightning was at fault. The utility had the power back on by 6:50.

Robbery Suspects Arrested

Police have arrested two Wabash County men who might be connected with armed robberies in North Manchester and Columbia City. Police arrested the men in Miami County after a robbery at a liquor store in Peru. Police say the men are also suspects in the December 28th robbery of a North Manchester liquor store and the January 4th hold-up of a Columbia City tobacco store.

Board Declines to Rezone Fenced Hunting Operation

Some Kosciusko County residents have lost in their bid to shut down a fenced hunting operation by having its land rezoned. Last night, the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals declined to rezone the 40-acre tract north of Pierceton from agricultural to commercial. The owner of the land charges hunters for the opportunity to hunt elk and deer on the property.

Syracuse Ice Fishersman Falls Through, Dies

An 83-year old Syracuse fisherman fell through some ice yesterday and died. Conservation officers say Charles Miller fell through on the channel that connects Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake. Miller was about 30 feet from shore when rescuers arrived at about 11 o’clock yesterday morning. After a conservation officer pulled Miller from the water, Miller was pronounced dead at Kosciusko Community Hospital. Conservation Officers are warning you this morning to stay off the ice on area lakes.

Facility for Troubled Youth Approved

Lifeline Youth and Family Services got the go-ahead last night from Pierceton’s Town Council to build a large residential facility for kids who’ve been in trouble with the law. Council voted unanimously to rezone the land on which Lifeline wants to build. Lifeline hopes to have its first group home open by this summer.

Pierceton Council Member Resigns

Members of the Pierceton Town Council thanked resigning council member Terry Hill last night for his service. Hear Council President Jerry Kreger talk about Hill. Hill resigned because he’s moving away from Pierceton.

Juveniles Busted in Church Burglary

North Webster police announced yesterday that they arrested two juveniles for a burglary and theft from a church. Police say the kids took computers, sound equipment and other items worth as much as 10-thousand dollars.

Ask the Superintendent on the Web

Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dave McGuire has started using the Web to communicate with patrons. If you have a question for McGuire, you can go to the school system’s web site, click on “Contact the Superintendent” and post it there. You’ll also be able to see the superintendent’s answers to other questions.

Wabash Police Officer to be Honored for Heroism

Wabash Police Chief Charles Smith plans to honor a hero tonight. Smith says Officer Daniel Henderson responded to a late-night call of fires at two neighboring houses back in October. Smith says Henderson approached the burning houses without regard for his own safety and in a dangerous situation, Henderson was able to alert the residents to the fires and get them to safety. Smith plans to present a letter of commendation to Henderson during tonight’s Wabash City Council meeting.

Pierceton to Consider Youth Facility

Members of the Pierceton Town Council have heard little objection to plans for a big residential facility for kids who’ve been in trouble with the law. Jerry Kreger is president of Pierceton Town Council. Council plans to vote tonight on whether to rezone land so Lifeline Youth and Family Services can build the facility. A lawyer for Lifeline says the campus would include group homes and a school for as many as a hundred kids. Council meets in Town Hall tonight at 6:30.

Columbia City to Unveil Downtown Plans

Downtown Columbia City could see some changes pretty soon, based on an action agenda consultants will unveil tonight. Hear Redevelopment Commission member Jack Moore talk about the action agenda. Columbia City Redevelopment Commission member Jack Moore says the plan will help the city keep and attract downtown businesses, as well as improve traffic and parking downtown. Moore says he hopes a big crowd will show up in the Auditorium of Parkview Whitley Hospital at seven o’clock tonight to see the plan. The Indiana Downtown program offered by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns helped Columbia City officials, business people and residents gather information for the plan.

Nine Busted on Drug Charges

The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force announced this morning that it arrested nine people yesterday on a variety of drug charges. Seven of the suspects are Warsaw residents. The other two live in Syracuse. Police say they consider some of the suspects to be large suppliers of "crack" cocaine. The arrests came after a month-long investigation and police say they expect that the investigation will result in additional arrests in the future.

Suspect Critical after Town Marshal Shoots Him

A man from the southeastern Kosciusko County town of Mentone is in critical condition this morning, after being shot Wednesday night by the Mentone Town Marshal. Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine says it happened after Marshal Jim Eads stopped the man, who was a suspect in a domestic dispute. Rovenstine says the suspect got out of his car with a shotgun. Hear Rovenstine talk about what happened next. The 51-year-old suspect is in a Fort Wayne hospital. Mentone Town Council President Mark Hughes says the town has placed Eads on administrative leave until the Sheriff’s Department completes its investigation of the incident. Rovenstine says it’ll take a week or two to get to that point.

Mentone Police-Action Shooting Confirmed

A news release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department confirms that the Mentone Town Marshal shot a 51-year-old Mentone man last night. The release indicates that the man had pointed a shotgun at the Marshal and refused to comply with the Marshal's orders to drop the weapon. Q101 will have more on this incident during our newscasts tomorrow morning, from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Storm Halts Trash Pick-up

Due to street conditions, National Serv-All has discontinued trash pick-up in Columbia City. Friday, weather permitting, National Serv-All will complete Wednesday's and Thursday's routes. Saturday, the company will run Friday's Columbia City routes.

Ice, Sleet Storm Creates Problems Thursday Morning

Things did not get any better with the winter storm overnight. Forecasts had called for freezing rain to switch over to snow, but in most of the Q101 area, that’s not what happened. National Weather Service meteorologist Sam Lashley says a mix of sleet and freezing rain left roads throughout the area in pretty bad shape this morning. If fact, some road crews have noticed roads getting even worse after a plow scrapes off the sleet. Get the latest Indiana State Police road report. Police say drivers seemed to have headed warnings during the storm. Dispatchers did not get nearly as many calls about accidents and slide-offs as they expected… although all jurisdictions report some such calls. The worst storm-related crash appears to have been up in Steuben County, where a woman died in a two-car wreck. Most of the utilities in the area have fared pretty well so far. About 600 Cinergy customers near the Wabash County town of Roann lost power this morning. We also have a report of an outage near the Huntington County town of Warren, but nobody can get through to the R-E-M-C there to get any additional information. Things are a lot worse in Grant County and other areas to the south of the Q101 area.

Possible Shooting Incident in Mentone

Reports indicate a shooting incident involving a police officer occurred in the Mentone area last night. The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department says it won’t release any information about the incident until mid-morning today.

Storm continues to cause problems

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect. Freezing rain left roads in pretty bad shape throughout the Q101 area this afternoon. And the National Weather Service expected even worse ice accumulation by early evening. That means that if you do any driving, you need to watch out not only for slippery roads, but for falling tree limbs and power lines as well. Hear NWS meteorologist Chris Wamsley talk about ice danger. Chris Wamsley of the National Weather Service says that by mid afternoon, the Q101 area already had a tenth to a quarter inch of ice and he expected another quarter to a half inch of ice to accumulate by the evening hours. In Allen County, County Commissioners declared a level one weather emergency. That means you should stay off the roads. Whitley County’s sheriff says Whitley County has NOT declared a state of emergency, but Sheriff Schrader did issue a statement asking drivers to stay off the roads except in emergencies or other situations that make travel absolutely necessary. In Kosciusko County, Highway Department trucks put salt and sand on the roads from four a.m. to six p.m. Hear Kosciusko County Highway Director Rob Ladson talk about staffing limitations. Highway Department Director Rob Ladson says if an emergency occurs, he can send a truck back out… but otherwise, the roads will just keep getting worse until the storm ends or until four o’clock tomorrow morning, when the trucks go back out. Verizon customers can expect a longer than normal wait for repair service. Verizon has declared a “service emergency” because of an overload of work related to the weather.

Winter Storm Continues

A Winters Storm Warning continues to be in effect. See the lastest warning statement from the National Weather Service. Police are reporting all roads in the Kosciusko County area to be ice covered. See the latest road condition report from the Indiana State Police.

Local People to be Inaugural VIPs

Governor-elect Mitch Daniels says in a news release that he has invited several Q101-area people to join the Governor-elect as VIPs at inaugural events. Mary Hurlock and Dr. Jack Davis of Kosciusko County, Janice and Tammy Tate of Huntington County, Kirby Zumbrun and Carol Eberly of Whitley County and Charles McColley, Charmayne Kennedy and Bill Skeans of Wabash County are among 350 "Friends from the Road" who Daniels have invited to attend the inaugural events. "Friends from the Road" are people who opened their homes and lives to Daniels during the campaign. Daniels' "Friends from the Road" will receive VIP seating at each inaugural event at no cost. The Governor-elect will also host a special breakfast in their honor prior to the inaugural ceremony on Monday, January 10, 2005 at the Blue Ribbon Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

NIPSCO Gas Prices Drop Slightly

Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) announced today that natural gas costs for January 2005 went down compared to December, 2004. For a typical NIPSCO residential customer who uses 200 therms, the January gas bill should be about a buck less than December's.

Robbery Suspect Described

Columbia City police have released a description of the man who held up the SMOKES cigarette store on North Main Street yesterday. Police say the suspect is a white man who is between five feet, 11 inches and six feet tall. Police describe the suspect as having a medium build. Police say the suspect wore a grayish and brown ski mask, a gray sweatshirt, and jeans. The suspect was last seen walking north from the store's entrance. Columbia City police are asking anyone who might have additional information about the robbery to call them at (260) 248-5121.

Oswego Man Faces Drug Dealing Charge

The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force has arrested a 45-year-old Oswego man for allegedly dealing marijuana. The task force says it learned that the man had been selling marijuana from his home. An undercover officer allegedly bought some weed from the man. The task force then obtained a search warrant. The task force says it found a pound of marijuana and associated items when officers searched the home. The suspect has a record of previous arrests for possession and dealing marijuana.

REMC Customers' Lights Blink

Approximately 3,000 Kosciusko REMC members experienced momentary blinks and dimming in service, as a result of this morning’s ice storm. KREMC says the problem was in the feed to their Wooster and Airport Substations. KREMC says it's working with NIPSCO, its power supplier, to address the issue.

Ice Problems Reamin Likely

Things might not have gotten too bad yet, but there’s still a good chance of significant ice accumulation in the Q101 area this afternoon and early tonight. Hear Lead Meteorologist Sam Lashley of the National Weather Service. Lead Meteorologist Sam Lashley of the National Weather Service says you should watch out for slick spots if you’re driving this morning. Temperatures just dropped below freezing in some areas between five and six o’clock this morning. And Lashley says don’t be fooled by any breaks in the precipitation… there’s plenty more on the way.

Gunman Robs Columbia City Cigarette Store

Columbia City police are looking for an armed robber this morning. Dispatchers say a man with a long gun held up the “Smokes” cigarette store on North Main Street at about 3:45 yesterday afternoon. No one was hurt. Police have not yet released any further details about the crime.

Winter Storm Threatens Ice, Snow

Much of the Q101 area could be dealing with a nasty ice storm by this time tomorrow. Lead Meteorologist Sam Lashley at the National Weather Service says it could be a very dangerous situation. Hear a sound bite from Lashley. Lashley says that right now, it looks like areas south of U-S 30 will get mostly ice and areas north of U-S 30 could get a total of up to eight inches of snow. But he says it’s too early to know for sure where the line between ice and snow will be. Stay tuned to Q101 and AM 1300 for all the latest weather information today and tonight.

Tanker Truck Rolls Over

A tanker trucked rolled over on a busy Huntington County road last night… pinning the driver and closing the road for more than seven hours. Few details are available this morning, but dispatchers say the truck was NOT carrying any hazardous materials. It happened at about 8 o’clock on County Road 900 North on the east edge of Roanoke. That’s the road many people use as a short-cut between Roanoke and I-69.